Synergy of insulin-like growth factor-1 and exercise in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease of the neuromuscular system resulting in paralysis and ultimately death. Currently, no effective therapy is prescribed for patients; however, several therapeutic strategies are showing promise. Either exercise or treatment with adeno-associated virus/insulin-like growth factor-1 alone has therapeutic benefits in an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis transgenic mouse model.

Quantification of DEK-CAN fusion transcript by real-time reverse transcription polymerase reaction in patients with t(6;9) acute myeloid leukemia.

Real-time reverse transcription polymerase reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine DEK-CAN transcript levels in serial samples from three patients with t(6;9) acute myeloid leukemia treated with intensive chemotherapy. All three patients achieved short first clinical remission, but without achieving RT-PCR negativity. DEK-CAN level significantly increased in two patients before relapse, while in the third a level of 2x10(-3) in remission bone marrow preceded relapse by 2 months.

Monitoring AML1-ETO and CBFbeta-MYH11 transcripts in acute myeloid leukemia.

The core-binding factor (CBF) leukemias comprise acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21) and inv(16)/t(16;16), characterized by the presence of the AML1-ETO and CBFbeta-MYH11 fusion genes, respectively. These leukemia-associated genes can now be sensitively and reliably quantified by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques and thus can serve as molecular targets for monitoring residual leukemia. Studies to date suggest that quantitative monitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) in CBF-positive AML is useful in distinguishing patients at high risk of relapse from those in durable remission.